Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 383 - Historic Preservation and Archeology
NRS 383.180 - Prohibited acts; penalties; exceptions.


1. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 383.170, a person who willfully removes without obtaining any required permit, mutilates, defaces, injures or destroys the cairn or grave of a native Indian:
(a) For a first offense, is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
(b) For a second offense, is guilty of a category E felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
(c) For a third or subsequent offense, is guilty of a category C felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
In addition to any other penalty, the court shall order a person found guilty of any violation of this subsection to pay restitution for the cost to reinter with appropriate dignity all artifacts and human remains associated with the cairn or grave.
2. A person who fails to notify the Office of the discovery and location of an Indian burial site in violation of NRS 383.170 is guilty of a gross misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of $500 for the first offense, or by a fine of not more than $1,500 for a second or subsequent offense, and may be further punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 364 days.
3. A person who:
(a) Possesses any artifact or human remains taken from the cairn or grave of a native Indian on or after October 1, 1989, in a manner other than that authorized by NRS 383.170;
(b) Publicly displays or exhibits any of the human remains of a native Indian, except during a funeral ceremony; or
(c) Sells any artifact or human remains taken from the cairn or grave of a native Indian,
is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130.
4. This section does not apply to:
(a) The possession or sale of an artifact:
(1) Discovered in or taken from a location other than the cairn or grave of a native Indian; or
(2) Removed from the cairn or grave of a native Indian by other than human action; or
(b) Action taken by a peace officer in the performance of his or her duties.
(Added to NRS by 1989, 574; A 1993, 929; 1995, 1271; 2013, 983; 2017, 3548; 2019, 585)

Structure Nevada Revised Statutes

Nevada Revised Statutes

Chapter 383 - Historic Preservation and Archeology

NRS 383.011 - Definitions.

NRS 383.021 - Office of Historic Preservation: Creation; duties; inclusion of Comstock Historic District Commission.

NRS 383.031 - Administrator: Qualifications.

NRS 383.041 - Administrator: Duties; employment of personnel.

NRS 383.075 - Stewardship program: Establishment; selection, training and certification of volunteers; powers of program; coordination of activities with other entities; administrative services; acceptance of gifts and grants.

NRS 383.077 - Technical advisory program: Establishment; qualification of technical advisers; compiling, maintaining and publishing list of qualified technical advisers; provision of grants of money; administrative services; acceptance of gifts and g...

NRS 383.081 - Preparation and contents of plan for statewide historic preservation; federal financial assistance.

NRS 383.085 - State Register of Historic Places.

NRS 383.091 - Program for historical markers.

NRS 383.101 - Grants, gifts and donations; payment for services rendered.

NRS 383.111 - Contracts: Historic preservation and archeological activities; expenses for overhead.

NRS 383.121 - Intergovernmental cooperation required; notice to Office; procedure for notice to and consultation with Indian tribes and development of resolution relating to prehistoric native Indian human remains and funerary objects on property; no...

NRS 383.123 - Exception to requirements for notice to and consultation with Indian tribes.

NRS 383.125 - Programs by certain nonprofit organizations to raise money to benefit historic places; prohibitions; regulations.

NRS 383.150 - Definitions.

NRS 383.160 - Duties of Office of Historic Preservation.

NRS 383.170 - Procedure upon discovery of Indian burial site; permissible excavation; treatment of prehistoric native Indian human remains and funerary objects; exceptions.

NRS 383.180 - Prohibited acts; penalties; exceptions.

NRS 383.190 - Civil remedy.

NRS 383.400 - Definitions.

NRS 383.405 - "Historic site" defined.

NRS 383.410 - "Political subdivision" defined.

NRS 383.415 - "Prehistoric site" defined.

NRS 383.420 - "State agency" defined.

NRS 383.425 - "State land" defined.

NRS 383.430 - Office of Historic Preservation authorized to enter into agreement with state agency, political subdivision or Indian tribe regarding acquisition of land from Federal Government; requirements of agreement; submission of information to O...

NRS 383.435 - Prohibited acts; penalties; exceptions; civil remedy.

NRS 383.440 - Regulations.

NRS 383.500 - Creation; members; Chair; rules; meetings; quorum; allowances and expenses.

NRS 383.510 - Plan for preservation and promotion of cultural resources.

NRS 383.520 - Program for awarding financial assistance.

NRS 383.530 - Determination of annual amount of financial assistance to be granted by Commission; notice to State Board of Examiners and State Board of Finance; issuance of bonds.

NRS 383.540 - Fund for the Preservation and Promotion of Cultural Resources.